Draftsman{40 s cross-hatching triangle instrument

ABSTRACT

The instrument has a generally triangular outline, but its acutely angled hypotenuse side is, in one version, notched to afford an upper inclined ruling edge portion for hatching, which angles upwardly and rectilinearly to an apex from a point of bottom intersection with a horizontal calibrated base portion; and the latter meets outwardly with a lower non-hatching ruling edge portion. The ruling portions parallel one another at the acute angularity of the hypotenuse side. The opposite 90* upright side of the triangle is notched somewhat differently at a calibrated horizontal base portion which connects between a lower vertical non-hatching portion and an upper vertical hatch or section line-ruling portion intersecting the inner end of the base portion at 90*. The base portions are calibrated in terms of conventional fractional inch spacings. In a second embodiment the ruling edge portions are along margins of elongated slots formed within the three rectilinear sides of the triangle, with appropriate linear calibrations of the sort mentioned above; and the instrument is used in the same general way. The instrument may be of one-piece construction, as in either of these versions, or it may be a plural-part unit including an elongated, endcalibrated base part which, in an extended position in one or another direction relative to a second triangular part, will outwardly intersect and overhang a hypotenuse or a 90* ruling edge of the triangular part at those ends, just as in the firstmentioned single part version. A third part pivotally mounted on the triangular part affords an optional protractor feature.

United States Patent [191 De Jesus [451 Feb. 19, 1974 DRAFTSMAN'S CROSS-HATCHING TRIANGLE INSTRUMENT Ben L. De Jesus, 8430 E. Jefferson, Apt. 11, Detroit, Mich. 48214 [22] Filed: Sept. 7, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 178,169

[76] lnventor:

[52] US. Cl. 33/104 [51] Int. Cl B43l 13/00, B431 13/24 [58] Field of Search 33/81, 104, 108, 110

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,934,969 11/1933 Copp 33/108 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 957,869 8/1949 France 33/104 [57] ABSTRACT The instrument has'a generally triangular outline, but its acutely angled hypotenuse side is, in one version, notched to afford an upper inclined ruling edge portion for hatching, which angles upwardly and rectilinearly to an apex from a point of bottom intersection with a horizontal calibrated base portion; and the latter meets outwardly with a lower non-hatching ruling edge portion. The ruling portions parallel one another at the acute angularity of the hypotenuse side. The opposite 90 upright side of the triangle is notched somewhat differently at a calibrated horizontal base portion which connects between a lower vertical non-hatching portion and an upper vertical hatch or section lineruling portion intersecting the inner end of the base portion at 90. The base portions are calibrated in terms of conventional fractional inch spacings. In a second embodiment the ruling edge portions are along margins of elongated slots formed within the three rectilinear sides of the triangle, with appropriate linear calibrations of the sort mentioned above; and the instrument is used in the same general way. The instrument may be of one-piece construction, as in either of these versions, or it may be a plural-part unit including an elongated, end-calibrated base part which, in an extended position in one or another direction relative to a second triangular part, will outwardly intersect and overhang a hypotenuse or a 90 ruling edge of the triangular part at those ends, just as in the firstmentioned single part version. A third part pivotally mounted on the triangular part affords an optional protractor feature.

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures T-SGUARE PATENTEI] FEB I 9 I974 FIG-3 FBG.2

INVENTOR. 58 .55 5d BEN L-DE Ja-aus I 45 BY W; F164 vi DRAFTSMANS CROSS-HATCIIING TRIANGLE INSTRUMENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The triangle has appeal to engineering and/or architectural draftsmen, and in particular to such individuals whose work calls for a considerable amount of acutely angled, horizontal or vertical cross-hatching or sectionlng.

2. Description of the Prior Art A search has revealed the patent to Vitek et al, No. 1,523,919 of Jan. 20, 1925 as the most pertinent prior art reference, although it does not show or suggest the special type of edge notching of the triangle mentioned in the Abstract. The patents to Silverston, No. 1,081,161 of Dec. 9, 1913, and Dolgorukov, No. 2,908,082 of Oct. 13, 1959 show special type triangle structures for cross-hatching, but again lacking pertinence in regard to features herein illustrated and claimed. Stockwell, No. 246,045 of Aug. 23, 1881 shows a triangle protractor feature.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The improved hatching triangle is an extremely simple unit, whether of one-part or plural-part construction, and, as indicated above, will find wide acceptance by professional draftsmen. This is particularly the case in regard to patent draftsmen and others whose hatching work ordinarily requires the inking of previously hatched pencil drawings; inasmuch as inking may be accurately and rapidly performed without smearing a hatch line laid down just a second or'so before. Marked base means intersecting an upward inclined hatch line guide edge are visibly calibrated in terms ofa fractional inch or the like, so that the draftsman, having determined a desired spacing of the hatch lines, may proceed to lay out any number of them in identically accurate spacing to one another, granted he exercises reasonable care in manipulating the instrument.

In such use, a 90 base edge of the triangle is guided in the usual fashion along the edge of a T-square or the like; and the draftsman lays out at the desired point a first hatch line along the upper ruling edge portion, either acute angled or 90, defined by the special shaping. He then shifts the triangle along the T-square to 1 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the improved hatching triangle, as guided in use on a T-square;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary similar view in enlarged scale illustrating the manner in which the instrument is employed in laying out cross-hatch lines appearing in dotdash line;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of an alternative pluralpart adjustable triangle construction essentially made up of relatively adjustable triangle and cross-slide parts;

FIG. 4 is a view of the instrument of FIG. 3, as flipped onto its opposite side, FIGS. 3 and 4 indicating in solid and dotted line the manner of employing the instrument in selectively cross-sectioning or hatching acute angled, horizontal or vertical lines, and also depicting an optional protractor feature;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged scale fragmentary view in cross section on line 5-5 of FIG. 4, showing a typical dovetail connection of the triangle and cross-slide components of the plural-part version; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of a modified onepart triangle in which the calibrated ruling edge formations are parts of slots formed within the triangular outline of the instrument.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The simple one-piece embodiment of the improved right angle triangle, as generally designated in FIGS. 1 and 2 by the reference numeral 10, is shaped in a generally triangular, centrally apertured outline of a semirigid, transparent sheet material such as in common use in the manufacture of drafting triangles and other like instruments. Its special modified angulation is generally that of a 45 triangle, although the invention is obviously capable of embodiment in a 3060 or other less common design of instrument.

Considering the triangle 10 as being oriented in FIG. 1 in an upright position, it has its hypotenuse edge notch-shaped to provide a lower lining or ruling edge portion 12, which is not used in sectioning but may be employed in the usual fashion for general angle layout; and an upper 45 ruling or lining edge portion 14 paralleling portion 12 a matter of an inch, say, inwardly of the latter. Portion 14 is the one employed in sectioning or hatching, but it may also obviously be used for general angle layout the-same as portion 12. A connecting base edge portion 16 extends horizontally between a point of intersection at an obtuse angle with the lower extremity of edge portion 14 and the upper end of lower portion 12, hence it is seen that the portions 14 and 16 constitute a special notching of the triangles zone for the purpose of the invention.

In accordance with that purpose, the base portion 16 carries graduations or calibration indicia, generally designated by the reference numeral 18, which are marked in terms of linear distance, illustratively fractions of a single inch; and these indicia, whether identified as to fractional value or not, are of major importance in the use of the triangle 10. They are, of course, equally visible to the draftsman when the instrument is flipped over 180 onto its opposite side, as for lining angling oppositely to the hypotenuse angle appearing in FIG. 1.

Further pursuant to the invention, the upright edge zone of the triangle which vertically upwardly intersects lining or ruling edge portion 14 at an apex is also specially notched, being defined by an upper vertical ruling edge portion 20 which downwardly intersects at a right angle the inner end of a horizontal base edge portion 22; and the latter completes a notch formation or configuration above vertical ruling, but not hatching, lower edge portion 24. As in the case of hypotenuse edge portions 12 and 14, the ruling edge portions 20 and 24 may be used for simple 90 upright layout, or for horizontal work when the instrument 10 is turned 90 counterclockwise (FIG. I), withits surface 24 then guided by the T-square T. However, the primary purpose of ruling edge portion 20 is otherwise, in conjunction with base edge portion 22 as suggested in the description of the hypotenuse side, in that portion 22 is also provided with calibration or graduation indicia, generally designated by the reference numeral 26 in terms of fractional linear measurements, visible from either side of the instrument, which will be resorted to in either vertical or horizontal lining or sectioning, depending on the orientation of edge portion 24 vertically or horizontally.

The manner of using triangle is very simple indeed, as illustrated in FIG. 2. With the 90 base edge 28 of the instrument guided by the T-square for acute angle work, the triangle 10 is positioned to locate its zero indicium 27 (FIG. 1), at the junction of edge portions 14 and 16, on the point from which a first hatch or section line is to be ruled; and the line is then drawn, in either pencil or ink, along edge 14. Having determined what the dimension of the spacing of subsequently ruled lines shall be, the draftsman then shifts the instrument along the T-square to the left (FIGS. 1 and 2) to bring the correspondingly calibrated indicium of the set 18 into coincidence with the bottom of the line just ruled, whereupon a ruling or lining is repeated along edge portion 14. This procedure is repeated in an identical fashion, with the same'calibration indicium similarly made coincident with the bottom of the justruled hatch line, and the next line inscribed, until the desired number of such lines, shown in dot-dash in FIG. 2 and generally designated 29, have been completed. The direction of successive shifts of triangle 10 is indicated by the arrow in FIG. 2; from which it is evident that in the case of hatching, sectioning or lining in ink there is no reasonable liklihood of blurring any of the inked hatching 29 as they dry.

The adjustable embodiment of the triangle concept, as generally designated in FIGS. 3 and 4 by the reference numeral 30, enables this instrument to be employed in either angular, vertical or horizontal sectioning in a fashioning identical to the simpler embodiment 10, but also to perform full-length ruling along any of its 90 and/or hypotenuse edges, when the triangle parts are adjusted in an indicated manner.

Thus, triangle 30 has as its basic components a truly 45 triangular, centrally apertured member or part 32 and an elongated base slide member or part 34, these parts being articulated to one another for sliding adjustment movement of the part 34 in the direction of its length, as through the agency of a dovetail joint 35. This joint comprises an elongated tongue formation 36, which may be integrally formed on a surface of the slide part 34, having a fairly snug but slidable fit in an elongated dovetail slot 37 which is formed in a 90 base leg 38 of the triangle member 32. Slot or groove 37 is located midway of the width of the leg 38, extending parallel to the edges thereof; and it is contemplated that the dovetail tongue 36 will be engaged therein by slipping it into the groove and then snapping it home. In any event, it lies flush with the exposed surface of triangle leg 38, so as to be capable'offlatwise engagement with the latter on the paper.

The hypotenuse of triangle member 32 affords at the upper portion of its length, an upper acute angle lining or ruling edge portion 40 corresponding to the portion 14 of triangle l0 and, on the 90 upright leg 41 of triangle 30, an upright 90 ruling edge portion 42 corresponding with the portion of triangle 2. As viewed in FIG. 4, the slide part 34 is provided with a 45 angled lower edge surface 43 at one end thereof; and is calibrated inwardly of the latter along a horizontal base edge portion 44 in fractional inch indicia generally designated 45, the portion 44 of course corresponding with the base edge portion 16 of the simpler instrument 10.

Similarly, and as best illustrated in FIG. 3, the opposite longitudinal end of the slide part 34, which in this case is square, provides a base edge portion 46 which is calibrated at 47 in the same manner. The instrument 30 is employed in a fashion identical to the instrument l0; and it will be noted that in a slidably adjusted position of slide part 34 to outwardly over-extend the triangle leg 41, as in solid line in FIG. 3 and dotted line in FIG. 4, the upright ruling or lining edge portion 42 will be used in conjunction with the calibrated horizontal base portion 46 in laying out vertical section lines or, if properly oriented at 90, in laying out horizontal section lines. By the same token, if the inclined end of slide member 34 is outwardly extended as indicated in solid line in FIG. 4 (dotted line in FIG. 3), the upper lining edge portion 40 is employed in conjunction with the calibrated indicia 45 adjacent base edge portion 44 in the same manner as in the case of the simpler instrument 10, and as depicted in FIG. 2.

It will also be appreciated that, with the slide part 34 intermediately positioned with its lower hypotenuse edge 43 linearly flush with the triangle edge portion 40 and with its square end at 34 vertically flush with the upright triangleleg edge portion 42, the instrument 30 may be employedas a simple triangle, in all respects in a way that a conventional triangle is used.

As an optional feature best illustrated in FIG. 3, the triangle member or part 32 may have a third part 48 hingedly articulated thereto, as at a pin or like formation 49 adjacent its top apex, for use as an adjustable protractor, the pivotal union coming flush with exposed side surfaces of protractor part 48 and triangle part 32. As a specific structural detail, the triangle leg 41 will arcuately be top-recessed at 50 at a side thereof to accommodate protractor member 48 in the swing of the latter. This swing will be between an extended position shown in solid line in FIG. 3 to a retracted inoperative position; in which position a ruling edge 51 of the protractor piece coincides with the line of the hypotenuse edge 42 of triangle part 32. An arcuate edge portion 52 of protractor piece 48 is calibrated at 53 for coaction with an indicator mark 58 of the hypotenuse leg of the triangle member.

The further modified version of a one-piece triangle pursuant to the invention is illustrated in FIG. 6; and to the extent that it incorporates features corresponding to those illustrated and described which relate to the one-piece version 10 of FIG. 1, such corresponding features are designated by corresponding features, primed, and further description thereof will be dispensed with. The triangle 10 of FIG. 2 is essentially characterized by the fact that the acutely angled ruling edge portion 14' and the portion 16 paralleling a triangle base at 28 are edges of intersecting slots 55, 56 cut or stamped within the body confines of triangle 10' in the angular relationship described. This internal arrangement presents certain manufacturing advantages in respect to the sharpness of intersection at the apex of convergence of slots 55, 56, as compared with the cutting or forming of externally notched version 10 of FIG. 1.

What is claimed is:

l. A generally flat triangle-like drafting instrument having on one of two convergent sides thereof an acutely angled ruling edge formation along which a line is to be drawn, which formation, with the instrument considered in an upright position in which said sides converge upwardly, inclines downwardly to an obtuse angular intersection with an intermediate horizontal base edge portion, said edge portion being calibrated in a horizontally extending series of reference indicia, the instrument having a further ruling edge formation outwardly spaced from and paralleling said first-named acute angle ruling edge formation, said further formation downwardly intersecting a further horizontal base edge formation from which the instrument extends upwardly in said upright position, the instrument being shiftable in the direction of said further horizontal base edge formation to successively present to the user a reference indicium of said calibrated series which is placed, upon the instruments shift, in intersecting register with a line drawn along said first-named ruling edge formation.

2. The instrument of claim 1, as fabricated of a single sheet-like part. I

3. The instrument of claim 1, and further comprising a vertical ruling edge formation on the other of said two convergent sides having an acutely upward line of intersection with said first named acutely angled ruling edge portion, and another horizontal base edge portion downwardly intersected by said vertical ruling edge formatlon.

4. The instrument of claim 3, as fabricated of a single sheet-like part.

5. The instrument of claim 3, in which said another horizontal base edge portion also bears calibration indicia.

6. The instrument of claim 5, as fabricated of a single sheet-like part. 

1. A generally flat triangle-like dRafting instrument having on one of two convergent sides thereof an acutely angled ruling edge formation along which a line is to be drawn, which formation, with the instrument considered in an upright position in which said sides converge upwardly, inclines downwardly to an obtuse angular intersection with an intermediate horizontal base edge portion, said edge portion being calibrated in a horizontally extending series of reference indicia, the instrument having a further ruling edge formation outwardly spaced from and paralleling said first-named acute angle ruling edge formation, said further formation downwardly intersecting a further horizontal base edge formation from which the instrument extends upwardly in said upright position, the instrument being shiftable in the direction of said further horizontal base edge formation to successively present to the user a reference indicium of said calibrated series which is placed, upon the instrument''s shift, in intersecting register with a line drawn along said first-named ruling edge formation.
 2. The instrument of claim 1, as fabricated of a single sheet-like part.
 3. The instrument of claim 1, and further comprising a vertical ruling edge formation on the other of said two convergent sides having an acutely upward line of intersection with said first named acutely angled ruling edge portion, and another horizontal base edge portion downwardly intersected by said vertical ruling edge formation.
 4. The instrument of claim 3, as fabricated of a single sheet-like part.
 5. The instrument of claim 3, in which said another horizontal base edge portion also bears calibration indicia.
 6. The instrument of claim 5, as fabricated of a single sheet-like part. 